Fans Design Blood Omen 5 Cover (Georgian version)

As per my annual tradition, I'm getting my fans to come up with ideas for the next book cover ahead of the Halloween release of the Georgian version of Blood Omen 5: The Balance. A lot of scales so far (taking the idea of 'balance' literally!) but also some other incredible, beautifully drawn images, too. 

What 'The Balance' means to me
The Balance is what the vampires (mostly the Ko-eks) use to refer to the point when humans and vampires can live in co-existence; the earth is no longer being harmed by human misdeeds and the vampires no longer have to hide in the shadows. The Apophi don't seek a balance; they seek total domination. The Drog'han are also hungry for dominance, but don't wish the annihilation of Mankind, while the Ko-eks remain passive and hidden. The Prophecy stands at the centre of all, though. David knows it. Dea and her Coven are slaves to it. One way or another, the world is going to change.

A brief word on Blood Omen 5: The Balance
The last of the saga, it was a hard one to write, though it took just over a year, like the 4th. It's actually divided into parts because I wanted to reveal more about Apophis himself and the making of the Prophecy. I also needed to jump from Dea's pregnancy to when her child is the age seen in her vision of the Prophecy. So there is present (pregnant Dea, ongoing war, a few deaths of loved ones), a jump back 2000 years to ancient Egypt, then a jump forward to the 'present' where Dea's Prophecy child is 6-years-old.

So, with all that in mind, if YOU have an idea for how the 5th book cover should look, send a PM to BloodOmenSaga (and Like the page while you're there)! You can also check out the latest news and offers here.

Now to the covers. I love them all- they show each fan's personal love and understanding of the Blood Omen Saga. But only one can win. Which would YOU choose? Or would you design something totally different? COMMENT below! DEADLINE for entries: May 1, 2018.

Dark Wings UK Book Launch, March 2018

6 days, 4 schools, one library, one City Hall and two cities. Starting with the Georgian Diaspora, I went out to meet future fans and fellow urban fantasy lovers in the UK. As the FIRST EVER young adult urban fantasy book set in Georgia, the presentations kinda turned into a promo for the country I've fallen in love with. But that was ok. It's worth visiting. And if people have my book in hand when they come, all the better!

Check out some photos of my travels around Britain below.

On Dark Wings 1: Angel

Dacre Stoker, author, great grand nephew of Bram Stoker, says: "An intriguing take on the urban fantasy genre, not least for its being set setting in a little-known country in the South Caucasus. A teenage girl with a guardian angel finds herself caught in the spotlight of a demonic drama. The author is good at drawing the reader in and keeping them balanced on a knife’s edge until the end."

Dato Turashvili, Georgian novelist, playwright and script writer, says: "This author's writing changed my daughter's life!"

MARCH 2018 UK BOOK TOUR!

From March 6th, I'll be in the UK to meet present and future fans of my book sagas and to launch Dark Wings! Check out the dates and venues here.

You can get the book in e-version here or a paperback copy here. Buy it, read it, review it and I'll sign it! See you soon!

Angels in Tbilisi

Check out some of the angels I've found on my walks around the Georgian capital...always looking down on us as we rush through our daily lives! (interestingly, there are a lot more demons out there (more on that in a future post)

On Being a Part-Time Writer with a Full-Time Heart

I have three jobs other than writing: editing newspapers and magazines, proof-reading, and teaching English. I'm also a mum. I love all my jobs- there's not one I'd rather do over another...

But I'd love more time to write. A 30-hour day would about do the trick!

I get ideas all the time- travelling on the city underground, on a bus, walking down the street, even (sorry!) when listening to a student talk in class. My characters pop up on their own 'timetable,' not mine. But that means I'm not always able to open my laptop to write it down. Which means I have to wait till I get home or the kids go to bed (or are set up in front of cartoons!). Luckily, my characters tend to be patient and ideas don't get lost in the waiting. 

I do feel sorry for my family, though. Because sometimes I HAVE to write- that warm, exciting, 'you've got something, there, Kate!' feeling takes over and off fly my fingers over the keys for the next few hours. A huge shout out to my family for living without mum/wife during those times. I do feel guilty. I promise that I'll take a break before I start my next book- dedicate that 'empty time' 100% to my kids and husband. But it's 12 years and counting and the inspiration has yet to dry up!

It's about balance. And it means that sometimes my characters, plot, books and marketing have to take a back seat. However frustrating that is.

INTERVIEW WITH THE EDITOR OF BLOOD OMEN 4 (Georgian version)

      Giorgi (George) Muzashvili is 17. He's always been one of my most dedicated and informed fans and after extensive conversations with him, and after he won the cover design competition for book 4, I decided to give him the chance to take on his first job as an editor/proofreader by looking through the final translated (Georgian) text prior to printing. I was nervous about it because I know it's a big responsibility for someone as young as him to take on, especially when school work needs to be taken into account. We decided on a summer schedule and Giorgi worked diligently and professionally, meeting the deadline and being on-hand at all times to talk me and the Layout Guy (Misha) through the final changes before printing. In short, I've no regrets and I'll be asking him to edit my work in future when he has time! And I've no doubt he is destined for great things, be it through his own writing or by helping other authors to get theirs just right. Read Giorgi's version of the story below.

      First, you’re a fan of the Blood Omen Saga. How did that happen?

      I found about this saga back in 2014, when Sulakauri’s Publishing House announced in July that they were going to translate the first book of Blood Omen for Halloween. I was happy to hear it because the only contemporary vampire book that we had in Georgian at the time was Twilight. Then my friend told me about the book once it was published: he said he was totally obsessed with it and I naturally got more intrigued. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get my own copy for another two years, when I won it as a prize for making a vampire short (movie).  When I started to read, the first thing I noticed was that it was a very unusual story- very realistic. Then I read the second and third book that year and I absolutely fell in love with them! This book is like a “surprise box” – you can never guess what will happen or when. And the characters: they’re not perfect and that’s one of the reasons the book is so realistic- absolutely perfect people (as well as vampires) just don't exist. An interesting fact is that the Blood Omen vampires aren’t immortal. There's so much more to say about it, but I'd rather stop here. Suffice to say, the Blood Omen Saga is my life favourite in this genre, and not only in this genre.

      Tell us something about the latest book (Blood Omen 4). What made it different from the others? What did you like best/least?

      It's my favourite part of the saga so far. It was fantastic- I couldn’t have been more excited when I finished it. I started reading in May, a very busy period of exam preparation. I started slow because I wanted to edit gradually, but I couldn’t: once I started reading, it pulled me straight in! I was reading every moment, wherever I could, for two days almost non-stop, and when I finished, I was sitting speechless for ages. Of course, the previous books were just as amazing as this one, but the fourth was so much more, somehow...It completely changed my attitude towards the characters- for example, I'd been “Team Danti” for more than a year and in those two days, I converted to “Team Duart”. Also, we know that Blood Omen is made up of many genres- mythology, fantasy, romance, etc. But in this book we also get to see some elements of Sci-Fi . In a way, the 4th book reminded me a little of True Blood as well. Well…I can’t express my feelings about this book fully but, that’s it.

      How did you come up with the design for the cover of book 4?

      When the cover competition was announced on the Blood Omen Saga facebook page, I had no idea what I wanted to do, so I started re-reading the previous books looking for inspiration and it came to me when I was reading book 2, you know, that dream scene where Stuart and Dea meet each other? I started thinking [spoiler here – book 3]: what if Apophis was raised? At the end of book 3 (Fulfilment), we leave Dea in the Temple alone, just before the Awakening, and the image of Dea and a snake (the Apophi symbol) popped into my mind- the two facing each other against a background of the moon – we know that vampires hate the sun and the moon is its opposing force.

      Tell us about the editing process. What were the best and worst/hardest things about editing such a big book?

      I had a lot of 'best' moments connected with the editing process- the research, for example. I even went to the library to make sure that some details were right! I spent around 3 hours a day editing, making it part of my daily routine in the summer, and I really enjoyed it. There was no 'worst' thing about this editing job, though I will say it was hands down the biggest responsibility that I've had in my life to date- it was my first step into the publishing world, so I was quite nervous about it.

      How did you edit? How long did it take?

      I had no experience editing, so when I got the text, I started thinking how to go about editing it. I decided to read the full text all the way through, then, when I finished it, I started reading carefully page-by-page. I worked in the mornings, when my brain was fresh. I would typically edit 5-6 pages a day and read through them again the following day. Editing took about two months in all (I had the text for three months but because of my exams, I wasn't able to start editing right away).

What skills are needed to be a good Editor/Proof-reader?

      The first thing is to be a “word master,” as I call it, when you can interpret a text in many different ways. The second thing is a sharp eye, of course- being able to spot mistakes quickly. If you haven’t either of these skills, you can work on yourself to get them.

      Is it something you would consider as a career? Why (not)?

      Sure. If I wasn’t considering it, I wouldn’t have edited Blood Omen 4! It was a good first challenge for me- to make sure I really wanted to get into editing as a profession.

     How does it feel to have your name on a book at just 17?

     I can’t express the feeling in words. I almost cried when I saw it. I felt like I was in a dream.

Giorgi with Translator Ana Chichinadze and Author Katie Ruth Davies

      Some people might think you were too young to take on such responsibility, that inexperience is a disadvantage. What would you say to them?

      It doesn’t matter how old you are: if you want to do something, there is no perfect time for it or any point waiting for the right time, like when you're "grown up," for example. You simply have to work on yourself and start doing it, then you’ll get some experience which will help you to move towards your goals. If everyone always looked for people with a lot of experience, then no-one would ever find a job! Everyone starts from inexperience. I believe it's worth taking a risk and working hard to make yourself better at what you love to do.

      You’re writing your own book. Tell us a little about it. What are your hopes for that book?

      Me and my friend just finished the first draft a few months ago and we’re editing it right now. It’s a fantasy novel about vampires and witches, with mythological elements and religious allegories. We want to publish it, of course, but we’re not in a hurry. It’s something new in Georgian literature and we hope the Georgian reader will like  it. 

The two Giorgis- aspiring writers!

      What are your plans for the future?

      I’m a school-leaver this year, so I’m preparing for the national exams. Then I want to go to uni (probably Ilia State University, not sure yet). But I’ll definitely keep going with my editing work and when I have enough experience, I’ll start translating books as well. 

      Want to know more? Leave a comment or question below!

BOOK 4 LAUNCHED IN GEORGIAN!

Check out the story here!

It was a huge honour and great pleasure to meet my fans on Halloween weekend and celebrate the launch of my 4th book of the Blood Omen Saga in Georgian. Facepaint, music, prizes and cakes! And a special SPOILER interview with Stuart- the Georgian fans have no idea how big and bad the Blood Omen world is about to get!! 

With Georgian Editor Giorgi Muzashvili and Translator Ana Chichinadze

Black Sea Sound- set for stardom!